County-led drone cover crop program cut costs, scales cover crop acres like never before in Iowa 

DUBUQUE COUNTY, IA (IAWA) — Dubuque County Watersheds has been named the 2026 recipient of the Iowa Watershed Team Impact Award for its work protecting water quality across the driftless region’s karst landscape. The team was recognized at the 20th annual Iowa Water Conference last week at Historic Arnolds Park on Lake Okoboji. 

The Team Impact Award celebrates a collaborative team working together effectively for maximum water quality results. Dubuque County Watersheds is a partnership of the Dubuque Soil and Water Conservation District, the City of Dubuque, the City of Asbury, and Dubuque County, led by Watershed Program Director Eric Schmechel alongside Conservation Planner Allisen Freihage, Conservation Agronomist Scott Hendricks, Urban Stormwater Coordinator John Sewell, and Environmental Specialist Dean Mattoon. 

Blending farmer feedback with agronomic principles, financial support from Sand County Foundation, and watershed planning expertise, the team built a cover crop program that is changing the game throughout major agricultural states. They offer a free package deal for farmers that includes cover crop seed, conservation agronomy advice, and cover crop application. Farmers can choose their seed mix and a drone or drill operator handles the rest.  

The model has scaled quickly. The program seeded over 8,000 acres of cover crops by drone in 2024, and for 2026, the group is on track to hit 40,000 acres – that’s 13% of the county’s tillable ground.  

This year, American Farmland Trust used Dubuque County’s model as the blueprint for a national roadmap now being adapted in Illinois and beyond. They’ve also drawn national news coverage for their success. 

The team’s work extends well beyond the cover crop program. They also built a farmer-to-farmer network focused on helping local producers learn from one another. They offer free soil health plans, streambank stabilization, no-till and strip-till incentives, and are building markets for small grains to complement farmers’ corn and soybean rotations. 

Please join us in congratulating this incredible team! 

About the Iowa Watershed Awards 

The Iowa Watershed Awards celebrate individuals and organizations making significant contributions to water quality and conservation in the state. The Team Impact Award, introduced in 2024, recognizes a collaborative team’s measurable results, collaboration, and innovation in improving Iowa’s watersheds. Learn more and keep an eye out for 2027 nominations here.